21 Years
by TheLoneOtaku
Summary: AU. For 21 years her parents kept a huge secret from her. But on the day of her 21st birthday, that secret was blown and now, she must learn to cope with the knowledge that her father made such an arrangement for her. Not to mention, learn to love the man she was supposed to marry.


**this story has been nagging at the back of my mind for a while and i've promised jaylonni i would write it for her since she absolutely loved the idea when she went through **_**my **_**notebook that has all my story ideas and plans in it. enjoy.**

…

_21 Years_

_By: The Lone Otaku_

_Chapter One_

…

_April 1991_

"You do understand why I want to do this, do you not, Akira," a black haired man asked as he palmed the ring that rested on his left ring finger. His violet eyes glanced to the left where a young boy sat; his face stoic as he stared up at the ceiling. "It is for both our futures as well as those of our children. If we perform this merger in this way…"

"I understand clearly, Touga," the man – Akira – said holding his hand up to stop him from speaking any further, "But why my daughter? Why would you want to merge your company with my own?"

"Think of the possibilities," Touga said with a smile. "If our children marry and our companies combine, we will be an unstoppable force."

"What makes you think I would want that?" Akira asked tilting his head to the side.

"Are you forgetting that we grew up together, old friend?" Touga countered; his smile intensified. He had Akira eating right out of the palm of his hand. "You want this just as badly as I do."

Akira bit his lip, glancing over his shoulder and out the glass door where his pregnant wife walked by before turning back to Touga. He took a deep breath before holding his hand out, "You have yourself a deal."

"Excellent choice, Akira," Touga said merrily as he shook his hand.

"But there is something I want in return," Akira said letting go of his friend's hand.

"And that being," Touga asked raising a brow.

"She is not to know about this until her twenty first birthday, is that understood," Akira said. "I want her to at least live a normal life until then. And there is one other thing."

"What is it," Touga asked as he stood, gathering his son in his arms.

"If she does not want to go through with this, she does not have to, the deal will be off," Akira said sternly as he too rose from his seat. "All she has to do is date him a few times then if she chooses, she can call it off at any time."

"If that is your request I shall honour it," Touga said shifting the child, "But, if she does decide not to go through with this at least honour one opportunity to try and convince her that it's for her own welfare. If she still refuses after that, the deal is off."

"That is acceptable," Akira said holding hand out to shake again, "A pleasure doing business with you, Mr. Takahashi."

"You as well, Mr. Sato," Touga said taking it and shaking firmly. "I shall keep in contact."

"Understood," Akira said as he ushered him towards the door.

…

_May 21, 2012, 21 Years Later_

Rin woke early on her birthday, stretching as the sunlight spilled through the curtains on to her face when the maid opened them, "Rise and shine princess, it's your birthday."

Rin smiled, flipping the blanket back, "Thank you Kimiko for your very awkward happy birthday."

She stood up, stretching her arms above her head before she walked over to her desk and sat down. Picking up her sketchbook, she opened it to the page she had been drawing on the night before and stared at the drawing.

"That's a very nice piece there," Kimiko commented as she glanced back at it before making her way over to the bed to make it, "Is it a self-portrait?"

"Kind of," Rin said as she picked up her pencil and began drawing again; adding more detail to the photo. "I was drawing myself as what I see, not what everyone else does. Something my Art professor told me I should try my hand at."

"And what do you see yourself as," Kimiko asked as she picked up the orange duvet and shook it out before placing it over the bed again.

"Just a normal girl with very wealthy parents; an artist if you will," Rin said as she gently stroked her pencil against the paper.

"Well, I'll tell you what I see," Kimiko said smoothing out the duvet.

"And what do you see," Rin asked; eyes focused on the drawing.

"I see a very sweet, very beautiful young woman who loves the colour orange, every kind of flower there is, and is going to be late for her classes if she doesn't stop drawing and get dressed," Kimiko said as she turned to look at the young woman. "It's already eight thirty sweet pea, you have class in an hour."

Rin placed her pencil down on the paper before closing the book and looking back at Kimiko, a smile on her face, "Thank you for the compliment."

Kimiko chuckled before she walked over and kissed Rin on the cheek, "Happy birthday sweetheart, hurry and get dressed, I'll have breakfast ready by the time you come down."

Rin nodded as the weight of Kimiko's hand left her shoulder and she heard her walk out of her bedroom. She looked up at the drawings that hung from her wall when she heard the door close before she smiled and stood up from her chair, heading over to her closet. She had to decide what she was going to wear for the day, after all. Besides, you only turn twenty-one once.

…

Rin came bouncing down the stairs fifteen minutes later with her school bag in hand and walked into the kitchen to see Kimiko setting the table, "Do you need help with that, Kimiko?"

"Oh no dear, just have a seat at the table," Kimiko said ushering her to the table.

Rin sat before looking back at the maid, "Where are Hidaka, Ichiro, Mai, Momma and Papa?"

"Your father and mother had to go downtown early this morning," Kimiko said placing a plate in front of Rin, "Said something about having to take care of some business. They didn't give me all the details but they promised to be back by the time you come home from class to celebrate with you. We may even have a few guests coming as well."

"Well I know Kagome, Kirara, Sango and Ayame are going to stop by later to celebrate as well and knowing Papa he's going to have some of his business friends here too," Rin said as she picked up her fork. "I wouldn't be surprised if he does."

"Neither would I sweet pea," Kimiko said returning to the kitchen, "Now as for your brothers and sister, I have no idea. I don't even think they came home last night. But hurry with your breakfast now. You need to get a move on if you want to make it to class on time."

"Right," Rin said before she scooped a forkful of eggs into her mouth.

…

"She really has become beautiful," Touga said as he gazed at the picture he held in his hands that he had received from Akira. He smiled, "Just like her mother." He turned to look back at the couple sitting behind him.

"Yes, she has," Akira said with a nod.

"And today is her twenty-first birthday, yes?" Touga asked as he sat down in his chair, "May twenty first, a Gemini."

"That is correct," Akira answered.

"And she will be finishing school soon, no?" Touga said.

"Today is her last day," Akira's wife answered.

"Very good, I can't wait to meet her," Touga said smiling again. "Neither can Sesshomaru, can you son?" He glanced over at the raven haired man that sat staring out the window at the city below, "Son?"

"I heard you father," Sesshomaru muttered; his finger playing with the ring that rested on the opposite hand. "I cannot wait."

"Not much eagerness, I see," Akira commented.

"Anyway," Touga said changing the subject, "When should we be expected?"

"Seven PM tonight," Akira said standing as he pulled his wife up with him, "That is when we will sit down for dinner. You may come sooner if you wish."

"Of course," Touga said as he stood as well to usher them to the door. "Thank you for stopping by. I look forward to meeting young Rin tonight."

Akira nodded as he led his wife out the room and down the hall.

"I don't like this, Akira," she whispered as they made their way to the elevator. "What will Rin think of us when she finds out what we have done?"

"I know, Hiromi, I don't like it either," Akira said as he pressed the down button, "But remember, all she has to do is date him for a few weeks then she can decide if she whether she wants to go through with it or not."

"But you also told Touga that he would be given the liberty to persuade her at least once that it is for her own welfare after she refuses," Hiromi countered as they stepped into the elevator. "You know how sly Touga is with his tongue, that's how he got you to agree with his deal in the first place. What if he changes her mind and she lives a life of misery? I don't want to put my daughter through that."

"I know," Akira said taking her hand in his, "I don't want her to live a life of misery either but it won't matter after the marriage and our companies are merged. She could pull out of the marriage at any time she wants at that point. There will be nothing Touga can do to stop her then."

The doors opened and they walked out, heading towards the glass doors of the Takahashi building. "I have already thought about all of this, Hiromi. I know what I'm doing."

"I hope you're right," Hiromi said as the limousine pulled up and the driver stepped out.

The couple walked down the stairs as the door was opened and Akira helped Hiromi in. After she was inside, he looked up at one of the windows to see Sesshomaru staring down at him before he turned away and got in the car himself.

…

Rin sat at one of the tables at the Starbucks near campus with her sketchbook as she sipped on a venti caramel frappuccino. She was so focused on her drawing that she didn't see the man that was approaching her until he pulled the chair back and sat down.

"Hey Rin," he said placing his own iced coffee down on the table.

Rin looked up and smiled, "Hey Shippo, how are you?"

"Living," he said placing the coffee to his lips before he took a sip then lowered the cup, "So, how's the big twenty-one treating you so far?"

"I feel like I did yesterday," she said placing her pencil down on the sketchbook, "I think they lied when they said your twenty first birthday was supposed to be the biggest day of your life. I always imagined it as balloons and streamers coming out of nowhere when you opened your eyes and a party to be happening everywhere you turned but so far it's like any other day of my life."

Shippo laughed before he brought the cup to his lips and took a sip. He swallowed lowering it to the table again, "Well I could have told you that!"

"Of course you could have, you're twenty freakin' four years old," Rin said rolling her eyes before she took another sip of her frappuccino. "Anyway, are you going to celebrate with me later on tonight? Mom and Dad rented out a section of that new nightclub that just opened up downtown just for me."

"Will there be drinks," Shippo asked raising a brow.

"Of course, there will, I'm twenty-one today, remember?" Rin said smiling as she picked up her pencil again and began drawing.

"Then I'm definitely there," Shippo said before looking at the drawing, "What're you drawing?"

"My Art Professor told me to try drawing myself as how I see me," Rin said holding up the sketchbook for him to see. "This is how I imagine me; not the little rich girl the public sees me as."

Shippo reached over and grabbed it, admiring the work, "It looks nice. One of the best ones you've ever drawn I have to say."

Rin smiled, "Well thank you."

She took her sketchbook back and picked up her pencil again.

"So what time should I get to this club tonight?" Shippo asked picking up his coffee again.

"Ten at the latest," Rin said as she put the finishing touches on the drawing. "Kirara, Sango, Kagome, Ayame and I will all be there by then."

"Then that's what time I'll be at the door," Shippo said as he stood from his chair. "I'll see you tonight Rin, later."

Rin looked up and waved to him as he walked away before turning back to the finished drawing. A small smile tugged at the edges of her lips as she held it up, "Finished."

…

"Where is she," Akira said as he paced the floor of the living room occasionally glancing at the clock. "Her classes were over hours ago."

"Be calm, Akira," Touga said as he placed a hand on his friend's shoulder. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for why she's late."

Just then the front door opened, and Rin walked inside the house followed by her friends Kirara, Kagome, Sango and Ayame, "I'm home."

"Welcome home Princess," her mother said as she held her arms opened for her daughter to walk into, "Happy birthday, Rin."

"Thank you Momma," Rin said as she pulled back and glanced into the room where her father was standing with someone else, "Momma, who are they?"

Hiromi looked back into the living room before looking back at Rin and smiling, "That is Touga Takahashi and his family dear; some old friends of your father's. They decided to stop by and wish you a happy birthday as well since your father has told them so much about you. C'mon in here girls and say hello. Kimiko, will you get Hidaka, Ichiro and Mai please."

"Yes ma'am," Kimiko said as she headed up the stairs.

"Rin dear I want you to meet Touga Takahashi, Izayoi Takahashi, Inuyasha Takahashi and Sesshomaru Takahashi," her mother said pointing to each of them. "Everyone, this is my daughter Rin."

"It is very nice to meet you, Rin," Touga said walking towards her and taking her hand in his. "I've heard so much about you from your father. You really are as beautiful as he said you were."

"Thank you," Rin said with a smiled; a red colour spreading across her nose.

"Keh, she ain't nothin' special," Inuyasha said turning his nose up in the air. "I don't see why I have to be here anyways. I have nothin' to do with this arrangement no how."

"Arrangement," Rin said raising an eyebrow.

"Rin dear," Akira said walking over to her, "There's something that we need to tell you."

"What's going on, Papa," Rin asked tilting her head to the side.

"Before you were born there was a deal that was made," Akira explained. "You're to marry Touga's son, Sesshomaru. We waited until now to tell you because I wanted you to live your life as best you could. That was the deal."

Rin felt herself losing consciousness; her knees starting to give way beneath her. She couldn't believe what she was hearing. Her father conducted an arranged marriage for her, "Why?"

"To merge our companies," Akira said.

"And you decided to wait and tell me this on my birthday?" Rin asked taking a step back. "I can't believe you would do something like this to me. I hate you."

She turned and ran up the stairs, brushing past her brothers and sister as they made their way down.

"I should have known this was going to happen," Akira muttered as he turned and made his way upstairs as well.

…

**drama, drama, drama, that's all i see right about now. review and let me know how you like it; if y'all don't like it i won't continue.**


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